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Actions Speak Louder?

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Devin Deveau

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Actions Speak Louder

Students will be able to identify how body language and tone of voice can change the meaning of a message in a communication scenario.

Understanding non-verbal cues like body language and tone of voice is crucial for effective communication. This lesson helps students interpret social cues, preventing misunderstandings and building stronger relationships.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

25 minutes

Approach

Through interactive activities and discussion.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Slide Deck, Emotion Charades Cards, and Tone of Voice Audio Clips

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Review the Lesson Plan and all generated materials.
  • Print and cut out the Emotion Charades Cards.
  • Ensure audio equipment is working for the Tone of Voice Audio Clips.

Step 1

The Power of Non-Verbal Cues

5 minutes

  • Begin with a discussion using the Slide Deck to introduce non-verbal communication.
  • Ask students: "How do people communicate without words?" (Expected answers: facial expressions, gestures, body posture, tone of voice).
  • Explain that body language and tone of voice can change the entire meaning of a message.

Step 2

Charades: Expressing with Body Language

8 minutes

  • Introduce the Emotion Charades Cards.
  • Divide students into small groups.
  • Each group picks a card and acts out the emotion using only body language. Other groups guess the emotion.
  • After each round, discuss: "What body language clues helped you guess the emotion?"

Step 3

Analyzing Tone of Voice

7 minutes

  • Play various short audio clips from the Tone of Voice Audio Clips where the same words are spoken with different tones (e.g., 'Hello' said happily, sadly, angrily).
  • After each clip, ask: "What emotion did you hear? How did the tone of voice change the meaning of 'Hello'?"
  • Discuss how tone can convey sarcasm, sincerity, anger, etc., even with neutral words.

Step 4

Putting It All Together

5 minutes

  • Display a slide with a simple sentence on the Slide Deck (e.g., "I'm fine.").
  • Ask students to describe how body language and tone of voice could make this sentence mean different things (e.g., genuinely fine, sarcastic, upset).
  • Conclude by emphasizing the importance of observing both verbal and non-verbal cues for clear communication and understanding others.
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Slide Deck

Actions Speak Louder?

Understanding Non-Verbal Communication and Social Cues

Grade 7

Welcome students to the lesson. Introduce the idea that communication isn't just about the words we say. Ask: "What does 'actions speak louder than words' mean to you?" Lead into the idea of non-verbal communication.

Beyond Words: Non-Verbal Cues

How do people communicate without speaking?

  • Body Language
  • Facial Expressions
  • Gestures
  • Tone of Voice

These cues can change the entire meaning of a message!

Engage students by asking them to brainstorm ways people communicate without words. Guide them towards body language, facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice. Emphasize that these cues can often convey more than spoken words.

Expressing with Body Language

Let's play Emotion Charades!

  • Work in small groups.
  • Pick an Emotion Charades Card.
  • Act out the emotion using ONLY your body language.
  • Other groups will guess the emotion!

What body language clues help us understand feelings?

Introduce the "Emotion Charades" game. Explain that students will use only their body to express emotions. Emphasize observing each other's physical cues. Prepare to distribute Emotion Charades Cards.

The Nuance of Tone of Voice

It's not just what you say, but how you say it!

  • How can the same word or sentence have different meanings?
  • We'll listen to some examples.

Transition to tone of voice. Explain that the same words can mean vastly different things depending on how they are said. Prepare to play the Tone of Voice Audio Clips.

Listen Closely: Tone Matters!

Let's listen to some examples from the Tone of Voice Audio Clips.

  • What emotion do you hear?
  • How does the tone change the meaning of the message?

Play the audio clips from the Tone of Voice Audio Clips. After each clip, ask students to identify the emotion conveyed and explain how the tone altered the message. Discuss examples like sarcasm or sincerity.

Putting It All Together

Consider the phrase: "I'm fine."

How could body language and tone of voice change the meaning of this simple sentence?

Why is it important to pay attention to both verbal and non-verbal cues in real life?

Bring it all together. Present a simple phrase like "I'm fine." and ask students to imagine different scenarios where body language and tone of voice would convey very different meanings (e.g., truly fine, upset but trying to hide it, sarcastic). Reinforce the overall objective.

Communicate Clearly, Understand Deeply

Non-verbal communication helps us:

  • Understand others better.
  • Express ourselves more clearly.
  • Navigate social situations.

Keep practicing your observation skills!

Conclude the lesson. Encourage students to be more observant of non-verbal cues in their daily interactions. Remind them that effective communication involves both sending and receiving these signals.

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Game

Emotion Charades Cards

Instructions:

  1. Cut out each emotion card below.
  2. Divide into small groups.
  3. One student from a group picks a card and acts out the emotion using only body language and facial expressions (no talking!).
  4. Their group members, or other groups, try to guess the emotion.
  5. Once guessed, discuss what body language cues were used.

Happy

Sad

Angry

Surprised

Scared

Confused

Excited

Bored

Proud

Shy

Frustrated

Disgusted

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Activity

Tone of Voice Activity: What Do You Hear?

Instructions for the Teacher:

This activity helps students understand how the same words can convey different meanings based on the speaker's tone of voice. Instead of pre-recorded audio, you will act as the demonstrator for the various tones.

Materials Needed:

  • Your voice!

Activity Steps:

  1. Introduce the concept: Explain to students that tone of voice is a powerful non-verbal cue. The same words can mean very different things depending on how they are said.

  2. Demonstrate with a simple phrase: Choose a neutral phrase, such as "Hello" or "Okay" or "Good job."

  3. Vary the tone: Say the chosen phrase several times, each time conveying a different emotion through your tone. Here are some examples:

    • Happy/Excited: Say "Hello!" with a bright, upbeat, higher-pitched tone.
    • Sad/Discouraged: Say "Hello..." with a quiet, lower-pitched, perhaps drawn-out tone.
    • Angry/Frustrated: Say "HELLO!" loudly, sharply, with emphasis.
    • Sarcastic/Disbelieving: Say "Okay..." with an exaggerated, drawn-out tone that implies the opposite.
    • Questioning/Confused: Say "Okay?" with an upward inflection at the end.
    • Neutral/Matter-of-Fact: Say "Okay." plainly, without strong emotion.

  4. Engage Students: After each demonstration, ask students:

    • "What emotion did you hear?"
    • "How did my tone of voice change the meaning of the word/phrase?"
    • "Can you think of a time when someone's tone of voice completely changed what you thought they meant?"

  5. Encourage student participation (optional): If time and comfort allow, invite students to try saying a simple word or phrase with different tones for their peers to guess.

Discussion Points:

  • How can tone of voice reveal a person's true feelings, even if their words say something else?
  • Why is it important to pay attention to both words and tone when communicating?
  • How can your tone of voice impact others?
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